CHP Releases Details In Temecula I-15 SigAlert Crash

TEMECULA, CA — A five-vehicle SigAlert crash Sunday on Interstate 15 in Temecula caused injuries and involved impaired driving, the California Highway Patrol announced Monday.

It's not immediately clear how the crash reported at 5:15 p.m. began on the northbound side of the freeway, just south of Temecula Parkway. However, two of the vehicles involved — a 2016 Dodge Dart and a 2014 Chevy Impala — caught fire.

A 57-year-old woman in the Impala was hospitalized with major injuries. The Impala driver, a 57-year-old man, suffered minor injuries. Both people are Indio residents, according to the CHP.

An update on their condition was unavailable.

The Dodge driver fled the scene on foot but was quickly captured on the Temecula Parkway offramp. He was identified as Rolando Neil Dominguez, 49, of Escondido. According to jail records, he was being held at Southwest Detention Center in lieu of $75,000 bail on suspicion of hit-and-run, and causing great bodily injury while driving under the influence.

The other vehicles involved in the crash included a Nissan Altima, Ford F-150, and a Jeep Cherokee, according to the CHP.

No other injuries were reported.

During the CHP's crash investigation, the # 1, # 2 and # 3 lanes were blocked, but traffic was able to travel in the construction zone auxiliary lane.

The CHP is continuing to investigate the crash and reminded motorists to never drive impaired.

"An impaired driver is an extremely dangerous driver," the agency said.